The Crown Jewel
by inae
Summary: Frederick has dedicated his life to protecting the Ylissean royal family... But why is he so distracted by Lucina?
1. Chapter 1

Frederick considered himself first and foremost a knight. Ever since he was attacked by a large wolf as a child, he swore to never let anyone he was close to experience that same kind of crippling fear. And the only way to achieve this dream was to become a knight. Fortunate enough to be born in to a good family, it was not difficult for Frederick to procure the right training. He honed all of his skill and talent into becoming a chivalrous servant of Ylisse and the royal family. So why, of all things, after years of harsh conditions and backbreaking work, was he finding himself unable to even look Lucina in the eye?

Lucina poked her head into Frederick's tent. "Uncle Frederick?"

Frederick was jerked from his musings with a completely un-knightly yelp. "P-princess Lucina!" He scrambled to his feet and performed an awkward bow. "How may I be of service?"

Lucina stepped into his tent, looking around curiously. The great knight's living conditions were Spartan to say the least. His cot, although he had only seconds ago been reclining on it in deep thought, was completely made. The dirt floor that was serving as a temporary home for the night was cleanly swept. Frederick's weapons were gleaming from recent polishing and were clearly ready to be used for battle the next day.

"Uncle Frederick," Lucina began, looking steadily at the flushed man in front of her. "I realize this may be odd for you, however, in the future you helped raise me along with Mother. I know you as one of my closest friends and mentors."

Frederick hastened an unusually clumsy bow. "Thank you, milady. It is a pleasure to be acquainted with milord's future progeny." Why was he speaking in such an absurdly formal manner? Frederick clenched his fists in frustration, causing his well muscled forearms to flex.

Lucina, eyeing Frederick's involuntary motions, took a cautious step back. "Are you well? Have I bothered you in any fashion?" This was her first time seeing him out of his bulky armor and the princess found her eyes straying to his broad chest and shoulders. His linen sleeping shirt was hung slightly askew and she spied a dark flash of chest hair. Biting the inside of her cheek, she wrenched her gaze away and took particular interest with a piece of lint on her own blouse.

"N-not in any way you could have avoided," Frederick blurted, running a large hand through his messy hair. "Simply that in this time I only know you as a newly joined Shepherd and comrade."

The princess flinched. How embarrassing. She had only just revealed her identity and she was already making a fool of herself. "I… I apologize if I seem overly familiar…"

Frederick shook his head, causing his hair to stick up in the front in a way Lucina was well acquainted with. It put her at ease, knowing that some habits at least carried over with _her _Frederick.

He began to ineffectually explain himself. "It is only that—"

Emboldened by her discovery, Lucina stepped forward and placed a light hand on Frederick's arm. Peering upwards into his eyes she asked kindly, "Would it help if I only called you Frederick?" Up close, Lucina scanned the face of the man who had taught her how to swing a sword and how to clean a bear carcass. Except he didn't know it yet. His face was unlined still. There were no specks of grey in his hair, nor in his unshaved scruff. The princess found herself admiring the clean masculine structure of his face.

Frederick heaved a sigh of relief. Somehow Lucina had realized what had been bothering him. He had never been eloquent, but his sudden loss of communication skills around the princess was worrying. "Yes," he murmured. "That would put me at ease." He managed a small grin and he thought she would be able to see his heart pounding through his shirt when she received his smile with one of her own.

Slowly reaching her hand up in a manner that would not startle the great knight, Lucina gently smoothed his hair down. "There," she commented, tilting her head to the right. "Now you're perfect."

Frederick could not process the onslaught of ambivalent deluge of emotions overcoming him, however all he could think as the princess who looked so like his best friend bid goodnight and left his tent was, _I would die on the battlefield for that girl. _


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Frederick rose quietly from his cot at sunrise. Rumpling his dark hair in his hands, he shook his head violently to wake himself. _Another day of traveling, _he thought groggily to himself. As much as he enjoyed his life's duty of protecting Ylissean royalty, he sometimes found himself yearning for a quiet life on his family's farm.

Mentally scolding himself, Frederick squashed down those feelings and reminded himself that he was blessed to be in such a noble position. Many men and women would sacrifice everything to have his job. Furthermore, the look on his mother's face when he told her of his elevated status was enough to keep him going.

Stretching his broad shoulders, he stifled a yawn and strode out of his tent to relieve himself. Surprisingly, someone was already up.

Squinting his brown eyes, he focused on a lone slender figure practicing sword techniques in the early morning fog. "Lucina?" he called quizzically.

The girl paused, and then waved. "Unc—uh-Frederick!" she called back cheerily. Jogging up to him, she flashed him a dazzling smile. "Good morning!"

Frederick felt his stomach lurch. Damn it all, why did this woman arise such feelings? "Good morning, Princess," he replied with a stiff bow. "How are you?"

Lucina, already fully dressed, sheathed her sword. One corner of her mouth tugged down in annoyance. "Frederick, I have agreed to discard calling you 'Uncle' in exchange for you to stop calling me 'Princess'. In my time we are much too good of friends for such formalities."

Frederick flushed slightly. "However," he asserted, "simply calling the daughter of Lord Chrom by her name is much too casual."

The navy haired girl chuckled to herself. "Then you will be completely amazed to know that in the future you simply refer to me as Lucy!"

"We are that good of friends?" Frederick asked, slightly disturbed.

The smile slowly disappeared from the Princess' face. "Is that…bad?"

Frederick shook his head vehemently and without thinking, placed his calloused hands on Lucina's shoulders. "No! Of course not!"

She gazed up at him, and for a second Frederick could hardly catch his breath, despite his history as a hardened warrior. To be completely undone by a woman—how absurd!

The sun, rising quickly now, reflected the royal crest in her eye, and Frederick pushed the Princess back with a little too much force.

Stumbling backwards, Lucina gasped in surprise at the unexpected power behind his movement. She knew it—he hated her. "I beg your pardon," she muttered before dashing off to her tent.

Blast it! Frederick cursed. How did he manage to offend with every action?

Lucina lay on her cot, crying very quietly to herself. She felt so alone in this world. The man she considered her best friend wanted nothing to do with her, and her own parents, although they tried their best, kept their distance.

"Knock knock," a stifled voice called.

Lucina hastily wiped her eyes on her clothes. "Come in."

A pair of blonde pigtails entered.

"Hello, Aunt Lissa," Lucina murmured miserably.

"Ew!" Lissa made a face of disgust. "Don't call me Aunt! I'm way too young for that!"

"I just can't seem to do anything right today," Lucina said, covering her face in her hands.

"What? Oh no! Oh you poor thing," Lissa cried, distressed. She sat down on Lucina's cot with her and comfortingly held her. "I saw Frederick run off somewhere and I had a teensy suspicion I knew why, so I came in here."

"Do you know why he hates me so much?" Lucina asked, tears running down her pale face. She was never one for dramatics, but the princess was prone to being a tad bit sensitive.

"Oh dear, he doesn't hate you," Lissa cooed, petting the crying girl's long blue hair. "He's just a bit confused."

"Confused," Lucina quavered. "Why?"

Lissa gulped, a flush rising to her cheeks. "Err, I'm not quite at liberty to say. Also, he hasn't really officially told me anything. But know this—we all love you very much."

Lucina raised her head, her sobs quieting. "Really?"

"Of course! Things are all a bit strained now with the world coming to an end," the blonde princess joked, "but we have all been so happy to have you here."

"Then why do Father and Mother avoid me?" Lucina asked.

"Like Frederick, they just don't quite know how to act. This situation isn't exactly…normal."

Lucina managed a smile. "You're right. I've been a bit ridiculous to think that we could all just carry on like we do back home."

Lissa hugged her tightly. "Come to breakfast. I'll make Frederick apologize for being such a stuffed shirt and we'll all have a nice time."

Lucina wiped her face a final time. "That sounds nice," she offered.

The two girls made their way towards the smells of a hearty breakfast, holding hands in a newfound friendship.


End file.
